Wethersfield OKs Funds For High School Project

November 20, 2012|By CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN, Special to the Courant, The Hartford Courant

WETHERSFIELD — — The town council has approved a request for an additional $43,750 in architectural services for the $75 million Wethersfield High School rehabilitation project.

The high school building committee requested the money to design a security system, do an energy study and reconfigure the design of the culinary arts area.

In response to concerns from Deputy Mayor John Console, Town Manager Jeff Bridges assured the council on Monday that the project's budget anticipated the expenses.

"These costs are included in the original budget, but they're not included with the architect," Bridges said.

The $25,000 for the security system design will come from the security budget for the project, while the contingency fund will cover the $12,750 needed to redesign the culinary arts facilties, according to the town manager's office.

A $6,000 Connecticut Light & Power grant will pay for the energy study.

Christine Fortunato, chairwoman of the building committee, said the school board requested the redesign of the classrooms after deciding to upgrade from a home economics to a culinary arts program.

"This is the board now really fleshing it out more in terms of what the curriculum will be and the infrastructure needed to support it," Fortuanto said.

In other business, the board unanimously approved contract changes under which new hires for two school unions will no longer participate in the town's pension plan. New school nurses, secretaries, paraprofessionals and clerical employees will contribute 4.5 percent of their salaries to a 401(k) plan, with the town matching that amount.

The change is one that the town is seeking with many of its unions to reduce its long-term pension obligations.

The changes cover future members of CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 and the Wethersfield School Nurses' Association, American Federation of State, Local, County, and Municipal Employees.

Council members also agreed to send three old town dump trucks and at least one car to auction.

The council was to discuss bids for a portion of the Wilkus Farm open space, but its special meeting was canceled. Bridges said that the council is still gathering information.